Climber sees friend plunge to his death (From Gazette & Herald)

Climber sees friend plunge to his death

A YOUNG mountaineer has spoken of his helplessness as he watched his best friend plunge to his death.

Bertie Ward tripped and fell on a climbing expedition in Switzerland.

Climbing partner Joseph Williams frantically tried to grab hold of the rope attached to his friend, but it slipped through his hands.

Bertie, who was 19, fell almost 1,000ft, striking several ledges on the way down. He died from massive head and chest injuries.

At an inquest in Pickering, coroner Michael Oakley said Bertie's death had been a "most tragic accident".

Childhood friends Bertie and Joseph were on a climbing trip in Switzerland, having already tackled some treachourous climbs in the Alps.

At 3am on July 17 last year, they set off for the south-east face of Mont Collon in the Swiss Alps, not far from the French border. They began their ascent at 7.30am, and reached the 11,900ft summit eight hours later.

But on their way back down, tragedy struck. They chose to go down the mountain's west ridge - a route rated 'very difficult'. After a 50m initial descent, the pair paused on a small ledge to swap over their safety ropes. It was there Bertie slipped.

In a statement read out at the inquest, Joseph said: "He slipped, and although the rope was still in his descender, he fell without stopping. I couldn't stop him.

"He fell 300m. I saw him fall on several ledges and then disappear."

Alone, Joseph began a frantic near-vertical descent down the mountain. He was spotted by two German climbers, who summoned help.

Joseph said: "They climbed up and got me down. During the descent I saw my friend's body at the foot of the mountain.

"They went to look at my friend and confirmed he was dead. They went back over to me and waited for the helicopter."

A report into the incident by the French gendarmerie said: "A helicopter flew to the scene and found Mr Williams and two climbers from Freiberg. Mr Ward's body was left at the scene in view of the weather conditions.

"The following morning at 7am the helicopter flew over the accident area to take photos and recover the body."

The inquest heard that both climbers were experienced and well-equipped. Bertie - whose full name was Thomas Christopher Ward - had been climbing for five years and was training to be an instructor.

He lived in Langton, near Malton, with his parents David and Cathy, and sister Charlie. He attended Woodleigh School, and later Sedbergh School. In the weeks after the accident, Mr Ward said: "If he had to die at least he was with his best friend doing something he enjoyed most of all."

Coroner Mr Oakley recorded a verdict of accidental death.

Updated: 15:08 Wednesday, March 29, 2006